A Player's Guide: PoE 2 Gear Sockets and Fixing Resistances

When playing Path of Exile 2, upgrading your gear is always exciting. However, it sometimes comes with a small problem: your shiny new item might be missing the resistance modifiers you need, or maybe you want to add a touch of elemental damage to your attacks. This is a common issue, especially early in the game. Thankfully, the new Runes and Sockets system in Path of Exile 2 is designed to address these challenges.

Runes and Sockets: The Core of the New System

In Path of Exile 1, Helena's crafting bench was your go-to tool for tweaking gear. However, in Path of Exile 2, the crafting bench has been replaced by the more versatile Runes and Sockets system.

Runes are special items that add extra modifiers to your gear, such as +12% Cold Resistance or increased physical damage on weapons. Each rune clearly states its effect, making it easy to know exactly what you're getting. You can use these runes to quickly patch up weak spots in your character's stats, like missing resistances or damage bonuses.

Maximum Sockets Per Item

Different gear types have specific socket limits:

• Chest armor and two-handed weapons: Up to 2 sockets.
• One-handed weapons, gloves, helmets, and boots: Up to 1 socket.
• Quivers, caster weapons, and jewelry: No sockets.

Note: Only gear with sockets can have runes or Soul Cores installed.

Soul Cores: Your Late-Game Upgrade

As you progress into the endgame, you’ll unlock access to Soul Cores, a more powerful version of runes. Soul Cores offer a wider range of modifiers, such as:

• Increased Spirit
• Boosted Item Rarity
• More potent elemental damage for attacks

Soul Cores are exclusively obtainable through the Trials of Chaos, a late-game mechanic inspired by Path of Exile 1’s Ultimatum system. Compared to runes, Soul Cores generally provide stronger bonuses, making them a key resource for min-maxing your character in the endgame.

How to Add Sockets to Gear

Most items you find won’t have sockets by default, but there are ways to add them:

1. Break Down Socketed Items for Artificer’s Shards

• Gear with sockets can be salvaged at the Salvage Bench to obtain Artificer’s Shards. Ten shards combine to create an Artificer’s Orb.

2. Use an Artificer’s Orb to Add Sockets

• Artificer’s Orbs allow you to add a new socket to an item, which can then hold a rune or Soul Core.

1. Take Risks with Vaal Orbs
• Vaal Orbs can add additional sockets to gear, even exceeding the normal limits. However, they come with risks, as they might corrupt or ruin the item. Use them cautiously!

Player Tips: Making the Most of Runes Early On

1. Don’t Overthink It
• In the early game, runes are primarily for addressing immediate needs, like boosting resistances or increasing damage. Since you’ll replace gear frequently, it’s not worth agonizing over rune selection early on.
2. Plan Ahead with Soul Cores
• Soul Cores are more powerful but permanent. Once slotted, they can’t be removed or replaced. Save these for your best gear and carefully consider which ones to use.
3. Use Resources Wisely
• Only invest in gear that’s worth improving. Don’t waste valuable Artificer’s Orbs or Vaal Orbs on items you’ll soon replace.

Final Reminder: Irreversibility

As of launch, once you slot a rune or Soul Core into gear, it’s permanent. You can’t retrieve the item, nor can you replace it with something better. For endgame gear, take your time and make thoughtful decisions about which Soul Cores to use. For early and mid-game gear, however, focus on solving immediate problems and progressing through the campaign. Better items and runes will come along as you advance.

We hope this guide helps you navigate Path of Exile 2 and overcome the challenges of gearing up!

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